Diabetic
Diet CaloriesTypes
of calories - There are three
types of calories in food and the body needs unique amounts of each one
for a specific reason.
 Carbohydrates
- This
is the calorie that provides the most sugar (glucose) and glucose is
the primary fuel for the body. The human body is
comprised of a trillion
cells and each cell needs glucose to function. Carbohydrates are in
bread, cereal, rice, pasta, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn,
peas, lyma beans, dried or canned beans, fruit and anything made from
flour, grain or sugar. Carbohydrates are easily digested and within two
hours of the meal will release most of the glucose into the
bloodstream. This supply of glucose will meet the needs of the body for
several hours. It is important that each meal includes
carbohydrates and that several meals a day are to refuel the body with
glucose.
 Protein
-
This calorie is needed by the body to build, repair and heal your
cells. A small amount of protein will be converted to glucose and
released into your bloodstream to keep some glucose in the blood at all
times. Protein is in all meats, poultry, fish, dairy products and in
plant foods such as nuts, seeds and dried or canned beans. The diabetic
diet will include a small amount of protein at each meal. Protein is
digested much slower than carbohydrates. Protein releases the glucose
into the bloodstream after glucose from the carbohydrates have moved
from the blood into individual cells. Foods that contain
protein
prevent blood sugars from dropping too low.
 Fat
-
Fat calories are used by the body to make hormones, enzymes and to
restore fuel for when you are in a fasting state (between meals and
join the night). Fat is found in all meats, poultry, fish and
dairy products, oils, butter, margarine, salad dressings, nuts and
seeds. The diabetic diet will include a small amount of fat at each
meal. The fat is digested very slowly and stays in the stomach for many
hours. This helps to keep the body feeling satisfied longer from a meal
but just a small amount of fat will accomplish this. Too many
fat
calories will cause weight gain, which can interfere with keeping blood
sugars in a good range.
Once you know how many
calories your body needs, (learn more)
you can review the meal patterns for the calorie that is closest to
this number. The meal patterns are a guide of how many foods are to be
from each food group, which provide the proper amount of carbohydrates,
protein and fat.
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